Getting There — About 15 trains arrive daily from Bayonne (trip time: 10 min.), which has rail links with Paris and other cities in the south of France. The one-way fare is 3€. The rail station is 3km (1.75 miles) south of the town center, in La Négresse. For information, www.sncf-connect.com or call tel. 36-35. Bus no. 2 carries passengers from the station to the center of Biarritz; the one-way fare is 1€. You can also take a cab for around 15€ to 20€. If you’re driving, Biarritz is at the end of the N117 roadway, the major thoroughfare for the Basque country. From Paris, take A10 south to Vierzon, and then N20 south to Limoges. Continue on N21 south to Tarbes, and then head west on N117.
Visitor Information — The Office de Tourisme is on square d’Ixelles (www.biarritz.fr; tel. 05-59-22-37-10).
Special Events — If you’re in town in mid-September, check out the modern dance and ballet performances during the 9-day festival Le Temps d’Aimer (www.letempsdaimer.com). Tickets range from 12€ to 40€ with discounts for children, students and seniors. FAt the end of September, the Festival Biarritz Amérique Latine (www.festivaldebiarritz.com) is the world’s most important Latin American film festival. It’s much more laid-back than Cannes—you’ll find yourself rubbing shoulders or even doing the salsa with top Latin directors in the casino, where most events are held. Entry to the whole week’s films is 75€, or buy a day pass for 20€.
Biarritz is the surfing capital of France, and each year dozens of competitions are held through the summer months, usually centered on the waves offshore from La Plage de la Côte Basque. For more information, contact the tourist office.
The Biarritz Cup is a nationwide golf competition attended by mostly French golfers in the third week in July at the Golf du Phare, av. Edith-Cavell (www.biarritz-cup.com; tel. 05-59-03-41-08). Information on both festivals is available from the tourist office.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.